


Caretaker

by firelord65



Series: Tales from the Pit [19]
Category: Divergent (Movies), Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: Cats, F/M, Slice of Life, shortfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27519301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firelord65/pseuds/firelord65
Summary: Someone needs to take care of Richards' cat. Eric would really rather not.
Relationships: Eric/Tris Prior
Series: Tales from the Pit [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2011174
Kudos: 2





	Caretaker

**Author's Note:**

> Rosalie prompted: I'd really love to read one about Eric having to look after Richards' cat and Tris discovering he secretly loves it.
> 
> Fun fact: this title was originally the one I selected for the drabble I wrote that turned into Sentry. It works a lot better here.

Eric came into the apartment with the faded blue cat carrier, holding it as far away from him as he physically could. I considered asking if he needed help, but from the way that Millie was yowling, I’d be better off far away when she was let out. “Calm down,” Eric growled. The carrier shook as she darted from one side to another, or tried to at least.

“That’s really convincing. She’s definitely going to listen to that,” I said. He shut the door with the heel of his boot. His other hand was clutching what had to be twenty pounds of litter, and there was an equally stuffed sack of food under his arm. I started feeling bad for not offering to help.

Eric dropped the litter and food unceremoniously and shuffled over to the bathroom door. The carrier went on the floor and Eric cracked the carrier door open. A breath later, he slid the bathroom door closed. Her cries quieted as she no doubt realized that she’d been freed. Eric sighed in relief. “She can’t live in there,” I warned.

“I just want her to get used to the smells,” Eric countered. “I’m not stupid. I know she can’t spend all week in the bathroom.” He grumbled under his breath as he went to organize the supplies that he’d left by the door.

The yowling began anew as Millie discovered the bathroom wasn’t quite as large as she would have liked. I raised an eyebrow. “What do we need to do to cat-proof the apartment?” I asked. Annoying Eric was one thing. Saving our curtains from a scratch-happy cat was another.

* * *

She meowed at everything. If her food bowls weren’t freshly topped off, Millie cried. When her water bowl was a few inches to the right. When she couldn’t look out the window because Eric was airing out his boots on the sil. Everything was a simple fix, but still, Eric wasn’t pleased.

He kicked me awake one morning. “Think Mills locked herself in th’ closet,” he grumbled into his pillow.

I kicked him back. “Richards asked you to watch her,” I retorted.

“He’s your friend.”

“Same to you.”

Eric groaned again and threw the sheets off. He did it on purpose, too, uncovering me in the process.

“Jackass,” I hissed, pulling them back around my shoulders. He snorted and left to figure out where Millie was. A minute later, I felt the bed sink as Eric returned. He wasn’t flat though, resting against the headboard with his arms crossed over his chest.

I peeled my other eye open. No, not crossed. He was holding the cat, one finger rubbing under her chin.

“She won’t stay quiet otherwise,” Eric explained, sounding defensive.

* * *

Every time one of us came back to the apartment, there were two bright green eyes staring hopefully from the countertop. She didn’t budge for the first few days, choosing to snub us. We weren’t Richards or Kyle. By the end of the week though I noticed that she’d jump down and wind her way around Eric’s legs.

“Crazy cat,” Eric murmured every time. I smirked as he paused to scratch behind her ears. Her purrs reached across the room.

**Author's Note:**

> Previously a part of the "Tales from the Pit" compilation fic on my profile. Moving all of these to their own pieces in a series instead so they can be more accurately tagged on their own.


End file.
